A veteran bowling coach in England is seeking £200,000 (about ₹2.6 crore) from a local cricket body, alleging that avoidable negligence at work left him with multiple injuries. Andrew Woodward, 57, a former Derbyshire bowler, claims the fallout has extended beyond his physical condition, arguing that the incident has affected him mentally as well. The dispute has now moved to court.
The case stems from an incident in early 2023. Woodward says he was required to carry a heavy bowling machine for an Under-12 session at Ryde School on the Isle of Wight, a private institution that can charge as much as £45,000 per pupil per year. During the task, he lost control of the equipment and sustained injuries to his lower back, neck, and left knee. He was taken to a nearby hospital after the fall.
Ryde School’s cricket governance, through the Isle of Wight Cricket Board, has admitted that it did not provide a wheelie trolley. However, it disputes the severity of the injuries as described by Woodward’s side, arguing that the harm was not “that serious,” and further rejecting the claim that any post-injury trauma must have resulted from those specific physical injuries.
Woodward’s barrister, Mark Lomas, laid out the sequence of events in court. He said Woodward “lifted the box by the handles,” positioned it with its weight resting on his thighs, and leaned back to counterbalance the size and mass before walking it across the sports hall. Lomas added that the bottom of the bowling machine box stayed off the floor while he moved it, until he lost his balance.
Lomas went on to describe how Woodward attempted to maneuver the bowling machine to the required spot by lifting the box upright along its shortest side and continuing to move it across the floor. He said that when Woodward lost his footing, he fell backward and the equipment came down on him, leading to what he characterized as significant injury.
Woodward received an England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) coach honour in 2022, recognising his efforts in promoting cricket on the Isle of Wight. Lomas maintains that this damaging incident was a turning point for him, arguing that Woodward’s career trajectory had been on the rise before the accident.
In describing Woodward’s work history, Lomas said the claimant has operated as a cricket and sports coach, including coaching cricket at an elite level, as well as taking part in related cricket activities such as umpiring. He also argued that Woodward has been unable to continue coaching and related work in the same way as before due to ongoing symptoms, resulting in a substantial and continuing loss of income.
